A Lengthy Island college’s “Warrior” crew identify would stay on regardless of the state’s ban on Native American-themed mascots and logos beneath a brand new invoice aiming to combat “schooling division overreach.”
The laws would exempt the Wantagh Union Free College District from the controversial ban, with the invoice’s sponsor, state Sen. Steven Rhoads, calling for a vote this legislative session.
“We’re very pleased with our Native American heritage; that’s one thing we’re celebrating,” Rhoads advised The Put up. “These names weren’t chosen to denigrate or one way or the other mock the Native American group.
“It was to embrace and have a good time our tradition, historical past, and custom.”
The invoice made progress within the state Senate earlier this month when three Democrats joined 5 Republicans in help of transferring the invoice via the Schooling Committee, 8-7.
Rhoads advised The Put up he hopes the bipartisan help on Could 5 was signal the invoice may preserve advancing.
“I’m hopeful that this exhibiting of bipartisan help will bode properly for with the ability to get it onto the ground,” he mentioned.
Rhoads, a Republican and Wantagh Excessive College graduate who represents a part of Nassau County, mentioned the district is among the many two important Lengthy Island college techniques preventing again towards the ban.
“Alongside with the Massapequa Chiefs, that is in all probability the poster baby for what I’d time period to be state schooling division overreach,” he mentioned.
The invoice has not gained the identical traction within the state Meeting and stays in its Schooling Committee. Each homes of the legislature are managed by huge Democratic majorities.
The Warrior moniker is tied to the legacy of Chief Wantagh and the Suffolk County hamlet’s founding historical past. Wantagh Excessive College has proudly claimed the “Warrior” mascot because it opened in 1956, based on Rhoads’ workplace.
Matt Susco, the president of the Wantagh Preservation Society, mentioned the general public within the district need the state to “go away us alone.”
The mascot is predicated on an actual individual, and greater than half of Lengthy Island has Native American names and different associations, he famous.
“We’re the Wantagh Warriors. It’s carried out with satisfaction, it’s carried out with class,” Susco mentioned.
Wantagh was granted an extension from the New York Division of Schooling that allowed the district to carry onto the Warrior identify for an additional 12 months till June 2027.
It’s the varsity system’s second short-term exemption for the reason that state Board of Regents ordered public college to throw out Native American mascots, crew names and logos by 2025.
Rhoads’ invoice is now within the Investigations and Authorities Operations Committee, which is led by Hudson Valley state Sen. James Skoufis.
“We’ve a 40% effectivity amongst third via eighth graders ranking in math, and a 50% proficiency ranking in English amongst third via eighth graders,” Rhoads mentioned.
“The state schooling division ought to be focusing on issues which are extra necessary than video games of mascots, and forcing districts to spend tons of of hundreds, in some cases, an extra of one million {dollars}.”
Wantagh district officers have additionally identified creating a brand new identify would value the varsity greater than $500,000 – however state leaders and Democrats argue the ban is essential to cease racial and ethnic stereotypes and promote inclusion.
The Massapequa College District, which is preventing the lack of its nickname in court docket, has mentioned it could have to spend roughly $1 million to rebrand.
State officers have mentioned a district can preserve their indigenous nickname if it receives approval from a federally acknowledged tribe.
